— Rei POV —
The goblins didn't move.
They stayed where they were, partially hidden between the trees, watching without committing to anything. Their presence was weak compared to what I had encountered before, but that didn't make them safe. The magicules in the area were unstable, shifting slightly with each small movement they made.
Weak didn't mean harmless.
I kept my attention on them, tracking positions and movement. There were more than I could see directly. That much was clear from the way the magicules spread across the area.
"There are more than we can see," I said.
"Yeah… I figured," Rimuru replied.
"They're not attacking," he added.
"They're not leaving either."
That was the issue.
They stayed just outside of reach, close enough to act, far enough to avoid immediate danger. It wasn't random movement. It was controlled, even if not perfectly organized.
I adjusted my position slightly, not advancing, just shifting.
The reaction was immediate.
Several of them stepped back, their magicules fluctuating more sharply than before. The group tightened without forming a proper structure, as if reacting on instinct rather than coordination.
"They react to movement," I said.
"Yeah, I noticed."
There was a brief pause before he spoke again.
"I'm going to approach them."
"No."
The answer came without delay.
"That was fast."
"There's no reason to do it."
"There might be," he said. "They haven't attacked us."
"Or they're waiting."
He didn't respond immediately, and for a moment I thought he might reconsider. Instead, he shifted slightly, still focused on them.
"…You always go with the worst case?"
"I go with the one that doesn't get us killed."
"…Fair."
The exchange ended there, but not the decision.
"I still want to try," he said after a moment.
Of course he did.
I didn't argue further. There was no point repeating the same conclusion.
"If you go, they'll react," I said instead.
"Yeah."
"I won't interfere unless they attack."
He paused.
"…That's your version of support?"
"Yes."
"…Alright. I'll take it."
That was enough.
I remained where I was, keeping distance while maintaining a clear view of both him and the goblins. My attention stayed on their movement, watching for any change that would require immediate action.
Rimuru moved forward.
Not quickly, not cautiously either. His movement was steady, direct in a way that didn't match the tension in the air. The reaction was immediate. The goblins shifted again, some stepping back while others held their ground, their magicules fluctuating unpredictably.
They didn't attack.
That was the only reason I didn't move.
Rimuru stopped at a distance that allowed interaction without immediate contact. The space between them held tension, but not hostility. Not yet.
"We're not hostile," he said.
The words carried clearly.
Simple. Direct.
I watched the goblins.
Their reaction wasn't coordinated. Some shifted forward slightly before stopping, others looked ready to retreat. Their magicules remained unstable, but there was no spike indicating an attack.
"They don't understand," I said.
"Yeah, I figured."
"Then this doesn't resolve anything."
"Give it a second."
I didn't respond.
Instead, I observed.
One of the goblins stepped forward slightly, then stopped again, as if unsure whether to continue. The others didn't follow, but they didn't pull back either.
"They're not committing," I said.
"Which means they're not attacking," Rimuru replied.
"That doesn't guarantee they won't."
"Yeah, but it's better than the alternative."
I didn't argue with that.
For now, he was correct.
The situation held.
No movement forward.
No attack.
Just uncertainty on both sides.
I kept my focus on them, ready to act if necessary, but didn't move.
For the moment—
There was no need.